Closing device for envelopes



Jan. 2, 1923. 1,440,506;

G. STULTZ'. CLOSING DEVICE FOR ENVELOPES.

men um: 22. 1921 Patented 2, i923.

nausea were] menses GEORGE STULTZ, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

i CLOSING DEVICE non ENVELOPES.

Application filed June 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnones S'ronrz, a cltizen of the United States, and resident of 256 Spruce St, Bloomfield, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have in-' vented certain new and useful Improvements in Closing Devices for Envelopes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention-relates to sealing or closing devices for envelopes and comprises certain novel features as to design and association of parts with the envelope material. y

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and readily appliable device which may be easily associated with an envelope without requiring complicated machinery for doing so.

Another object of my invention is to provide in connection with the sealing device means for facilitating ornamentations to be applied thereon.

Another important object of my -invention is to provide such means for securely and permanently closing an envelope'which will in no way be bulkyor will not interfere with the general use of the envelope.

The foregoing and further objects will be more fully apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 shows a top View of a preferred form of my'device prior to being assoated with an envelope.

F 2 is a cross sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my device when associated with the envelope material.

Fig. 4; is a top view of the blank of a modified form of my device.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate various spring members which may be employed to a moditied form of my device.

Fig. 7 is a top View of 1a modified form of my device, prior to engaging the envelope material. 'l

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional viewthe'rethrough taken on line 8-'8 of Fig. 7.

" en 'a e the iercin art 2.

h o p a 1921. Serial No. 479,520.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of my device, showing its attachment to the envelope material. Y e Fig. 10 is a plan view of the engaging or closing member of my device. I L I Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view taken on line 11'-11 of Fig. 10. i I

Fig. 12 illustrates an envelope equipped with my sealing device. 7

Referring to Figs. 1, '2, and 3, numeral 1 indicates a flanged base member from which extends upwards a piercing portion 2, which is preferably slotted at 3 and. The spring member 5, preferably made of a resilient wire and bent in such a manner as to engage the slotted portions 3 and i of the piercing part of the base member, is placed into the recesses or slots provided therein. At its center portlon, the spring member s' out wardly bent asindicated at 6, whiletheends 7 and 8 are so arranged as to unm ovably The base member when being attached to theenvelope is placed within the envelope below the ends of the free overlapping flaps thereof. f'lhen the piercing member 2 is pressed through the envelope material, whereafter the spring member 5 is inserted into the slots.

After the spring member has been placed in this manner the piercing portion 2 is pressed outward and over the'protruding ends 7 and 8 of the spring member, while the envelope material at the same time is caught betwen the flange of the base memher and the now spread outipiercing portion.

As shown in Fig. 3, the uppermost of central flap is indicated at 9, one side flap at 10, and the other flap at 11. Attached in the corner of the free closing flap 12 of the envelope, and so arranged as to register with the inner rounded portion 6 of the spring, is a button "13 as shown in detail in Figs. 10'

This button is preferably made of one piece pressed or drawn andpossesses a ta- 7 pered head 14 which passes through the flap 'material" 12 while its enla ged portion provided with an annular recess indicated at 15 adapted to receive an ornamentation of celluloid, paper, or other material as indicated at 16.

When the button or closing member 13 is pressed down upon the spring 5, head 14 temporarily spreads the rounded portion 6 of the spring, and is finally engaged thereby at the-recess 17,,provided between the head and the base of the button.

A similar device to that shown in Figs. 1,2, and 3, is illustrated in Figs. 1, 7 8,-and 9, in which a base member 1 is shown, the center 18 of which is cut out in such a manner as to provide two prongs 19 whichnare subsequently bent upwards as seen in Fig. 8.

The spring device 20 or 21, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is slipped with its short ends over prongs 18 and 19, the latter having first passed through the overlapping envelope flaps, in the same manner as described before, and as illustrated in Fig. 8. The spring member 20 or 21 may be shaped inany desired form, but preferably so that when button 1 1 is pressed against the spring, the latter will yield and permanently engage the recess 17 between the head and the base.

From the foregoing it will be evident that my device is very simply attached to envelopes, not requiring any particular arrangement for doing so. saryto especially pierce the envelope in order to attach my device at the desired place, as is the case in devices used heretofore.

The device designed for piercing the envelope material partially in place are the piercing portions 2 or the prongs 19, which are pressed through the envelope flaps from within the envelope to the outer surface.

, The advantage of placing the spring is obvious for two reasons. Firstly, because'of the fact that the spring itself acts as securing means for the base member, and secondly, when closing or sealing my onvelope the paper underneath the spring has to be pierced by the head of button 13. This fact is of vital importance, as a misuse. of the envelope may be readily detected since the paper becomes damaged, when someone tries to close the, envelope unauthorized.

lvily device is primarily designed to permanently close an envelope. Nhen forcibly opened in order to deceive, the impression of the head into the paper will give evidence of former use of the envelope.

On the other'hand, the paperitself after having been pierced bythe headyalso serves as a locking or tightening means between the spring and the head when :the former snapsintorecess =17.

WVihile I Eha-ve shown only preferred forms of my device, be it understood :that

closing It is not neces-.

adapted to engage .the sprin ornaments upon the top of the buttoning' or closing member of the envelope is an other important feature of my device.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 7 I

1. In combination with an envelope, a closing device comprising a paper piercing member adapted to engage the envelope from within, a spring member engaging the envelope from without and held by said piercing member, and means associated with theopen flap of the envelope engaging said spring member, thus permanently closing said envelope.

2.In combination with an envelope, a device comprising one member adapted to pass in part through the en velope material from within the envelope, a springmember adapted to be associated from without with the envelope material,

and to be engaged bythe part of said first mentioned member which passes through the envelope material, and means associ;

ated with the .closing'flap of the envelope for engaging said springmember, thus permanently closing said envelope.

3. In combination-with an envelope having the corners of each flap overlapping, a locking device composed ofone member engaging within the envelope and passing in part therethrough, a spring member engaging the said three flap corners from without, said part of the first mentioned member posed of a flanged piercing part and a spring, the piercing portion of the; first partadaptedto pass through said overlap-, ping flaps from within the envelope and to permanently engage said spring from Without the envelope, said closing member engaging the closing :fl'ap of the. envelope and .means provided in said closing :member for facilitating the reception of ornamentations at its exposed end. I

5. :An envelope sealing device, 'ienmpris the corners of three flaps from passing through the flaps adapted to per- .member on top of the envelope material.

.ing in combination a base member and a, With the free flap of the envelope and proclosing member, the former composed of a vided With a head for receiving ornamenta- 10 flanged part having upturned piercing portions.

tions adapted to pass through the envelope Signed at New York'in the county of New material from Within, a springadapted to York and State of New York this 11 day 7 engage the "envelope material from Without of June A. D. 1921.

and to be held by the piercing portions said i closing member adapted, to be associated GEORGE STULTZ. 

